Damping and control device for a bogie bolster

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a damping and control device for a bogie bolster allowing relative movements between side-frames and bolster, said movements being however controlled and damped so as to return to an equilibrium position.

O Umted States Patent 1151 3,677,363 Henricot 1451 July 18, 1972 [541DAMPING AND CONTROL DEVICE 2,192,171 3/1940 Akin ..10s/197.2

FOR A BOGIE BOLSTER 2,737,905 3/1956 Holland et a]. .105/197 2 1153 95s9/1958 Neumann ..105/197 7 1 ul l 2] 3,559,589 2/1971 Williams lO5/226 x[73] Assignee: Ullns Emile Hem'lent,

Helium" Primary Examiner-Kenneth 11. Betta [22] Filed: June 22, 1970Attorney-Richards 8: Geier [21] Appl. No.: 48,349 ABSTRACT 52 us. c1...1o5/197n The w a m i and a [5 u L C| 089/00 bogie bolster allowingrelative movements between silic- [58] field olSelrch 105/197, 197.1,197.2, 226 frames and bolster. said movemnm being however co t o led anddamped so as to return to an equilibrium position. [56] References Cited1 cum, 6 mm; Figure: UNITED STATES PATEN'I'S 2,237,953 4/1941 Webb..10s/197 .lli

Patented July 18, 1972 3,677,363

3 Sheets-Sheet l D O I HEN! o I IN VE N TOR.

A1 rem/f yr Patented July 18, 1972 3 Shea ts-Sheet 3 1 DAMPING ANDCONTROL DEVICE FOR A BOGIE BOLSTER This invention relates to bogies ofthe type in which the structure comprises three main parts, namely abolster and two side-frames in cast steel or manufactured by any otherprocess.

The essential object of the invention is to provide such structure inwhich all the relative movements between the side-frames and the bolsterare not only allowed, but also duly controlled, damped and,additionally, systematically returned to the equilibrium position.

Another object of this invention is to provide such structure in whichthe safety conditions are fully met, even should one of the moving partsof the structure be lost.

Said device is characterized in that each end of the bolster engages ahousing formed by one side-frame, rests upon resilient members, and islaterally interfitted on both sides with the adjoining portion of theside-frames and, on one side, rests directly upon the side-frames and,on the other side, rests upon the side-frame through the intermediary ofa resiliently loaded moving insert.

The said interfittings are provided by re-entering or projecting portionof the bolster and the side walls defining the housings in theside-frames of the bolster ends.

Said re-entering and projecting portions are advantageously defined byvertical walls.

The cross-section of the said re-entering and projecting portions willbe generally V-shaped.

In a preferred embodiment, the re-entering portions will be provided bythe bolster and the projecting portions by the side-frames. Of course,the moving insert will be determined in its shape, sizes and relativeposition in accordance with the local characteristics of the bolster andthe side-frames. Generally, said insert will function as a wedge and itwill be profiled to partially engage a window provided in the adjoiningwall of the side frames. When mounting, said insert will be securedbetween the bolster and the side-frame, but it will be released aftermounting to be permanently subjected to the actuations of a resilientnumber provided therefor.

In order to provide better stability, the moving inserts will bediagonally disposed within the same bolster.

Of course, it will be possible to carry out said essential features invery varying embodiments and they will be completed by any disposition,configuration and particular arrangements in accordance with theembodiments being made.

A preferred embodiment will be described hereafter without anylimitation, reference being made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. I shows a vertical section of the essential elements of a bogieusing the device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view thereof;

FIG. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, the portion indicated in F3 on H6.2;

FIG. 4 shows a section on the line lV-lV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows, on an enlarged scale, the portion indicated in F5 on F IG.4;

H6. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 during a mounting or dismantling step.

Each end of bolster l is introduced into a housing 2 provided on theside-frames 3. The latter rest upon the bottom of the said housingsthrough intermediary of coil springs 4. At both ends and on each of itsside faces, the bolster has a V- shaped re-entering portion 5-6respectively with vertical sides on which wear plates 7-8 and 9-10respectively are secured, e.g., by welding. The housings 2 of theside-frames have V- shaped projecting side faces "-12 respectively withvertical sides, the face 11 being also provided with welded wear platesl3-l4 respectively.

The side face 12 is traversed by a central opening 15 the upper portionof which is extended rearwards of the V-section by an inclined flat walll6 which, inside the angle, is traversed by a hole 17. Rearwards and inthe axis of the said opening 15, the side-frame has a seating surface 18for a spring [9. 0n the other hand, the latter rests on a wedge 20 thegeneral shape of which is similar to that of a V-folded plate having aconstant thickness with, inside the dihedron, a projection 2| the upperface 22 of which functions as a guide in cooperation with said inclinedwall 16 of the side-frame. This wedge forms the moving insert betweenthe bolster and the side-frames. It is perforated with holes 23-24respectively provided in the upper and lower walls of its projectingportion, said both holes being in alignment at least through one oftheir generatrices, it being pomble to secure them in front of the holeI! provided in said rear inclined wall 16 of the side-frame when thesaid wedge 20 is pushed home in the side-frame against the spring 19.

The damping and control device being so realized, it results that, onthe stationary side 5, the bolster l is directly contacting theside-frame through its wear plates 7-8. On the other side 6, the bolsteris contacting the wedge 20 the projection of which is introduced intothe opening 15 provided in the V-section of the side-frame while slidingon the lower guiding face of the inclined wall 16 of the side-frame.Under the action of the spring 19, the wedge 20 is pressed into theV-section of the bolster and it repels the whole assembly thereoftowards the opposite side, i.e., on the wear plates 13-14 of theside-frame.

For mounting the device, the spring 19 will be merely slid through theopening 15 of the V-section of the side-frame by contacting it with thestationary seat 18 integral with said sideframe. The wedge 20 is locatedby driving it, e.g., by means of a press. When the wedge is fullydriven, the openings 23-24 thereof are in front of the opening [7 of theside-frame. It is then sufficient to introduce a rod 25 into the alignedopenings 17-23-24, thereby momentarily blocking the wedge 20 in there-entered position. The bolster l is then merely slid in the correctposition from the top of the side-frames and, finally, the rod 25 isremoved by pulling it axially, thereby releasing the wedge 20 throughwhich the bolster is kept into position.

With this arrangement, the vertical shiftings of the bolster give riseto a dry friction, on one hand, between the wear plates of theside-frame and the bolster and, on the other hand, between the wearplates of the bolster 1 and wedge 20.

These friction effects are a function of the spring pressure. It shouldbe noted that, owing to the inclined position of the guiding face 22 ofwedge 20, the upward movement of bolster l is additionally damped owingto the developed wedge effect.

It will be also observed that the transverse oscillations are not pureand are accompanied with a slight longitudinal shifting since one of thesides of the V-section of the bolster slides upon a side of thestationary V-section of the side-frame. Thus, the lateral shifting ofthe bolster at that location will only occur in a parallel directionwith said contacting faces. The magnitude of said movements is limitedto the clearance remaining between the wedges and the side-frame.

It should be noted that said lateral movements are dry damped owing tothe friction between the wear plates, while being also subjected to areturn force produced by the action of spring l9 tending to repel thebolster l and to interfit the wear plates 7-8 of the V-section of thebolster with the wear plates 13-14 of the V-section of the side-frame.

0n the other hand, since the bogie consists of two identical side-frames3, when considering the longitudinal shifting, i.e., the direction ofthe rails, of bolster l in a given direction, said shifting is preventedon one side of the bolster owing to the bearing upon the stationaryV-section of the side-frame, whereas the wedge 20 sinks at the level ofthe other sideframe.

Consequently, said movement is not pure for the assembly of the bolster.In fact, it is a slight pivoting movement of the bolster about thestationary V-section of any of the sideframes according to the pivotingdirection and the magnitude of the shifting at the level of the centerof the bolster or the center-casting is equal to the half clearancebetween wedge and side-frame. This movement is accompanied with a slightdamping, since, when sinking, the wedge tends to fall down because itslides along the inclined wall l6 of the side-frame. The cooperation ofspring l9 generates the return force neces sary for bringing the bolsterin its rest position, i.e., into contact with the stationary V-sectionof the side-frame.

The V-sections ll of the side-frames 3 and the V-sections 5 and 6 of thebolster being protected against wear by plates l3, l4 and 7.8.9,) ofhard steel or any other suitable material, the wedge 20 contactingplates 9 and 10 with its vertical surfaces must be also made of a wearresistant material. A suitable material therefor could be steel treatedfor a high hardness.

It is apparent that this embodiment and. more particularly, thedifferent constituting parts is only given by way of example and may bemodified or replaced by any other element having an equivalent shape orfunction.

The invention relates as well to the device as a novel mechanicalcombination as anY of the characteristical constituting parts intendedfor making said mechanical combinatron.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway truck, a bolster having opposed ends, each of said endshaving two opposed lateral vertical walls, each of said walls beingV-shaped in horizontal cross-section, two opposed side frames, each ofsaid side frames having two opposed lateral vertical walls, each of thelast-mentioned lateral walls being V-shaped in horizontal cross-section,said side frames having openings receiving the ends of said bolster,whereby some of the first-mentioned lateral walls are engaged by some ofthe last-mentioned lateral walls, a guide wall engaging one of thelast-mentioned lateral walls, said guide wall being located adjacent anopening formed in said one lastmentioned lateral wall and being inclineddownwardly and outwardly relatively to said opening, a wedge having avertical wall which is V-shaped in horizontal cross-section and islocated between one of the first-mentioned lateral wall and said onelast-mentioned lateral walls, said wedge also having an inclined wallengaging said guide wall, and a spring engaging said wedge and presingit against said one firstqnentioned lateral wall, said wedge havingrod-engageable openings. whereby the wedge may be maintained momentarilyin a retracted position.

i II t i i

1. In a railway truck, a bolster having opposed ends, each of said endshaving two opposed lateral vertical walls, each of said walls beingV-shaped in horizontal cross-section, two opposed side frames, each ofsaid side frames having two opposed lateral vertical walls, each of thelast-mentioned lateral walls being Vshaped in horizontal cross-section,said side frames having openings receiving the ends of said bolster,whereby some of the first-mentioned lateral walls are engaged by some ofthe lastmentioned lateral walls, a guide wall engaging one of thelastmentioned lateral walls, said guide wall being located adjacent anopening formed in said one last-mentioned lateral wall and beinginclined downwardly and outwardly relatively to said opening, a wedgehaving a vertical wall which is V-shaped in horizontal cross-section andis located between one of the firstmentioned lateral wall and said onelast-mentioned lateral walls, said wedge also having an inclined wallengaging said guide wall, and a spring engaging said wedge and pressingit against said one first-mentioned lateral wall, said wedge havingrod-engageable openings, whereby the wedge may be maintained momentarilyin a retracted position.